Means for electrically connecting railway-rails and the like.



No. 813,996. PATENTED FEB. 2?, 1906. J. M. ATKINSON.

MEANS FOR ELECTRICALLY CONNECTING RAILWAY RAILS AND THE LIKE. APPLIOATIOF nun 511.15, 1904.

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JOHN M. ATKINSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MIQSNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE RAIL JOINT COMPANY, A (,lORl()li.\'llON OF NEW YORK.

MEANS FOR ELECTRICALLY CONNECTING RAILWAY-RAILS AND THE LIKE.

No. 813,996. Specification of Application filed March 15,

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN M. ATKINSON, a citizen of the United States, residin at Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Electrically Connectin Railway- Rails and the Like, of which the ollowing is a complete specification.

This invention relates to means for electrically connecting railway-rails and the like to form a return-circuit for the electrical current of electric railways, and relates articularly to the type of connection or bon shown and described in United States Letters Patent No. 697,534, dated April 15, 1902.

The obg'ect of the invention is to provide a more erfcct electrical connection between the rails and the lates or angle-barswhich connect the rails than can be secured by the present means of forming such connections.

To this end my invention onsists in the use of an electrical conductor having an actual molecular contact with the angle bars or plates which connect the rails as distinguished from what may be termed the mere laid-on contact produced by inserting a separate conductor-strip between members of the rail-ioint, as described in the patent above referred to.

The invention also consists of the various other features, combinations of features, and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings'a rail-j oint with electric connections embodying my invention is fully illustrated.

Figure 1 is a side view of a rail-joint comprising an electric bond or connection of my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof on the line a; a: of Fi 1, and Fig. 3 is a partial perspective view one of the connectingars forming the rail-joint before the electrical conductor is deposited thereon.

Referring now to the drawin s, 1 designates the rails of a railway-track, 2 t e connectingplates or angle-bars which connect adjacent ends of said rails, and 3 bolts which clamp said rails and an le-bars to ether. The foregoin parts are s own mere y for the pur ose of il ustrating a concrete embodimento my invention, and as regards their eneral features may be of an usual or esired construction. Also while I have shown but .2.

Patented Feb. 27, 15106.

single form of angle-bar the form shown is merely typical, and any other desired form of connecting member, either angle-bar or fishplate, may be substituted therefor without in any way do arting from my invention. As shown, the effzctrial conductor 4 is a )plicd to the angle-bars 2 in such position that it will contact with the upper surfaces of the rail-bases 5 when the members of the railjoint are assembled. My invention, however, contemplates applying said electrical conductor 4 between any other opposed surfaces of the rail-joint members, as indicated in dotted lines at 4.

Instead of insertin the conductor 4 between the rails 1 and t 1e an le-plates '2 in the form of detached strips, said conductor is applied in such manner as to secure an actual molecular contact thereof with either or both of the opposed joint members, being permanently secured thereto and forming, in eilect, an integral portion thereof. This intimate molecular contact or association of the electrical conductor with the members of the railjoint may be effected by electrodepositing a electricity, preferably copper, in proper position upon members of the rail-joint, which can be effected either by chemical or electrolytic action in a familiar manner.

As shown, the conductor 4 is electrodeposited in a seat or recess 6, formed in the an gle-bar, said electrodeposit beinq preferably slightly thicker than the depth 0 said seat or recess 6, thereby insuring a firm contact between said conductor and the opposed surfaces of the rail. I do not desire, however,to limit myself either as to the shape, thickness, or manner in which said electrolytically-deposited conductor is a lied.

While electrical rail onds or connections of the ty e shown in said Patent No. 697,534 are muc more efficient than the forms of bonds previously in use, they areopen to the objection that the scale or oxidized surface of the members of the rail-joint increases the resistance to the assa e of the electrical curconductor-stri s. While this objectionable feature might e overcome to a lar e extent by properly dressing the surfaces 0 the railjoint members with which the conductor contacts, it is impossible to provide against the coating or layer of any desired comluctoiwof rent between sai rail-pint members and the I carelessness of workmen and mechanics, the result being that many imperfect joints would result. A articular advanta 'e arising from the useo an electrode ositerT as dis tinguished from a laid-on COIKFUCiQOP-Stllf) is that in order to secure the requisite chemical reaction for depositing the conducting material the surfaces of the rail-joint members designed to receive said electrodeposit must not only be dressed to remove the scale or oxidized surface, but must also be thoroughly cleansed of all foreign matter, grease, and the like before the desired de osit will take place. It is thus obvious that t 19 molecules of the electrolytically-deposited conductor will be as intimately associated with the exposed molecules of the rail-joint member or members on which it is deposited as are the molecules of the eleetrodeposit with each other. In this manner a much more perfect electrical connection is effected and the resistance of the connection accordingly reduced. Furthermore, by the construction above described I provide an angle-bar as an article of manufacture and sale, which embodies in itself a conductive part which is not loose and liable to become detached and lost in the market or while in the storehouse, but is always in place ready for very ei'licient service in connection with a railway-rail.

I claim as my invention 1. The improved angle-bar for connecting railway-rails, comprisim an angle-bar having a shallow recess formed in a bearing of said angle-bar adapted to engage the rail, said recess containing a high conductor of electricity deposed in permanent molecular connecl tion with the comparatively low conductive body of metal of said angle-bar.

2. The combination with the railway-rails, of angle-bars for connecting said railway-rails, said bars comprising angular, conductingbars formed to contact with the faces of the rail bases, the eontact-bearings bein recessed and containing a molecularly-a hering electrodeposit of highly-conductive metal adapted to contact with said flange of the rail, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix mysignature, in presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 23d day of February, A. I). 1904.

JOHN M. ATKINSON.

Witnesses:

GEO. E. VVALDO, K. A. Cos'rELLo. 

